Running the name game

Karen Commons, senior learning adviser at Student Learning, gives an overview of a getting-to-know-each-other activity to help students feel valued.

This game is great for giving everyone something easy to talk about and remembering each other’s names.

Instructions

Ask students to pair up with someone they don’t know and interview each other by asking:

• What’s your full name?
• Who gave it to you?
• Why? Does it have special meaning?
• Do you think your name suits you?
• What do you like to be called?
• Where did you grow up?
• What interests you about this subject?

Give them 5 minutes to do this, making sure they swap after a few minutes. Ask pairs to introduce each other.